WILKES-BARRE - A man was shot and killed late Thursday night on South Welles Street.

David George, 24, was shot in front of his residence at 73 S. Welles St. just after 11 p.m., Wilkes-Barre police said.

According to a police affidavit, police were dispatched to the area for the report of a man shot. They discovered George lying in the front lawn with a single gunshot wound to his head. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross performed an autopsy Friday afternoon. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide, Luzerne County Coroner Bill Lisman said.

Law enforcement officials believed the shooting to be an isolated incident. Wilkes-Barre police Chief Gerard Dessoye said police do not believe the shooting was random.

The suspect was still at large as of late Friday afternoon, police said. Wilkes-Barre police, state police and the Luzerne County District Attorney's office are investigating.

"We do not have a person of interest," Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said. "It is an ongoing investigation, and we are still interviewing people."

The shooting marks the seventh homicide in the city this year.

Click on the red markers for information on each homicide.

"It's sad," Salavantis said. "Wilkes-Barre used to be a beautiful neighborhood where you want to live, raise your family and watch children grow up. Now, it's upsetting to see what's going on. I know the Wilkes-Barre administration and police department are fighting tooth and nail to take back the streets and keep the streets safe, but it has been a tough journey."

Dessoye said Mayor Tom Leighton has directed him to utilize every resource of the department to "attack violent crime on our streets."

"We are concerned with the escalating violence over the last few months," Dessoye said. "We have doubled the size of our anti-crime unit in recent days and we will increase our narcotics investigations."

Police tased George's 16-year-old brother at the scene after he charged at a freelance photographer for The Citizens' Voice. The teenager also tried to block a WBRE cameraman.

According to the police affidavit, police observed the cellphone laying next to the victim with the screen illuminated. An officer spoke to his mother, Yvonne George, who was standing on the front porch. She said her son was the person shot. She also told police she was inside her residence when her son called her to say he was on his way home.

A few minutes after the telephone conversation, she said she heard a single gunshot. When she went outside, she found her son lying on the ground.

Investigators believe information on the cellphone will assist them in the homicide investigation.

"Our investigators are pursuing every possible lead to identify those responsible for this crime," Dessoye said. "We are working closely with the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office as well."

Charlotte Raup, president of Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch Coalition, said Friday she wishes the mayor and police department would also embrace the Crime Watch and Guardian Angels to help combat crime. She said the mayor should "step up to the plate and say we have a problem here and we have to work together to solve it."

"Something has to be done. We all have to work together on this," Raup said. "People are scared. They're moving out of the city. They need reassurance that we're working together."

Renold P. Julien, 26, was fatally shot March 16 in the parking lot of Locals 88, a bar at 86-88 Poplar St.

Derrick Cottle, 40, of Wilkes-Barre, was killed in a shooting in the middle of the street on Reno Lane on April 25. Shauntae Verrez Thomas, 36, of 65 Reno Lane, was charged with criminal homicide.

Zachary J. Williams 23, of Nanticoke, was shot and killed June 25 inside a house at 32 N. Sherman St., Wilkes-Barre. Brandon Leigh Switzer, 22, was charged with a single count of involuntary manslaughter.

Vaughn Kemp, 24, was shot repeatedly during a large fight near 174 S. Grant St. on July 7. Joshua Carlos Ovalles, 19, was charged with criminal homicide.

Anyone with information about Thursday's night shooting is asked to call Wilkes-Barre police at 570-208-4200.

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